{ "culture": "en-CA", "name": "", "guid": "", "catalogPath": "", "snippet": "Provides a summary of potential high conservation value grassland in Bird Conservation Region (BCR) 12.", "description": "

This layer aggregates potential high conservation value grassland per 5 ha hexagon in the Boreal Hardwood Transition Ecozone, also known as BCR 12. It is one of three high value habitat datasets derived from the CWS-ON Landscape Conservation Atlas and Plan (COLCAP<\/SPAN>)<\/SPAN>. COLCAP is a comprehensive landscape assessment in BCR 12 and 13 that describes and assesses the CWS landscape biodiversity portfolio.<\/SPAN><\/P>

In the COLCAP, natural grassland includes alvar, tallgrass/prairie/savannah/woodland, open sand dune, treed sand dune, rock barren and shrub rock barren communities; agricultural grassland includes pasture, hay and old fields, pasture and abandoned fields, and old cuts and burn areas. Data was extracted from the Southern Ontario Land Resource Information System v 2.0 (OMNRF, 2015), Natural Heritage Information Centre (OMNRF, 2013), Annual Crop Inventory (AAFC, 2013) and the Provincial Land Cover 28 (OMNRF, 1998).<\/SPAN><\/P>

Using the <\/SPAN>How Much Habitat is Enough<\/SPAN>? guidelines, each study unit (5 ha hexagon) containing grassland was assessed and scored by the following criteria: protection and conservation, proximity, patch size, and habitat heterogeneity. These criteria were added together to calculate an overall grassland score within each study unit; this overall grassland score was divided into quartiles and the top 25% of scores were categorized as having potential high conservation value (PHCV).<\/SPAN><\/P>

Species at risk (SAR) were assessed and scored by the following criteria: diversity, SAR richness, SAR irreplaceability, global rarity, candidate SAR, and probability of critical habitat. These criteria were added together to calculate an overall SAR score within each study unit; this overall SAR score was divided into quartiles and the top 25% of SAR scores within grassland were categorized as having PHCV.<\/SPAN><\/P>

Migratory bird criteria relevant to grassland (landbird stopover + grassland bird density) were added together to calculate an overall migratory bird score within each study unit; this overall migratory bird score was divided into quartiles and the top 25% of migratory bird scores were categorized as having PHCV.<\/SPAN><\/P>

Using these three criteria (overall grassland score, SAR score and migratory bird score), each study unit was assigned a final PHCV score (0-3). A final PHCV score of 0 indicated that while the study unit may contain grassland, it was not within the top 25% of overall grassland scores. Study units with a final PHCV greater than 0 were aggregated together at 750 m to derive High Value Habitat: Grassland.<\/SPAN><\/P>

Secondary Site - Grassland = less than 20 ha in size; Biodiversity Site - Grassland = greater than 20 ha in size.<\/SPAN><\/P>

<\/P><\/DIV><\/DIV><\/DIV>", "summary": "Provides a summary of potential high conservation value grassland in Bird Conservation Region (BCR) 12.", "title": "High Value Habitat: Grassland, BCR 12", "tags": [ "Canadian Wildlife Service", "Ontario", "Boreal Hardwood Transition ecozone", "Bird Conservation Region 12", "grassland", "SAR", "migratory birds", "high value", "conservation" ], "type": "", "typeKeywords": [], "thumbnail": "", "url": "", "minScale": 150000000, "maxScale": 5000, "spatialReference": "", "accessInformation": "Environment and Climate Change Canada - Canadian Wildlife Service, Ontario, in partnership with the Nature Conservancy of Canada, 2016.", "licenseInfo": "

Users of this data are subject to the Open Government Licence - Canada. http://open.canada.ca/en/open-government-licence-canada<\/SPAN><\/P>

<\/P><\/DIV><\/DIV><\/DIV>", "portalUrl": "" }